Sensory Overload
by randomteenager
Summary: Cloud's mako injection bestowed him with heightened senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Perfect for battle, not so much for home. [CloTi]
1. Prologue

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! It's been a while since I've uploaded a CloTi thing, huh? But fret not—I still have ideas for my precious OTP! Some other couples are my current muses right now though, to be honest, so CloTi's kinda on the back burner. But like I said, I have ideas with them that I _will_ eventually write out, so till then, stay tuned!

I've had this sitting on my computer for a while so I figured it was time to upload it! The beginning's a little slow, but it'll get interesting! I have two papers and an exam this week, then finals week next week, so please give me some time before the second chapter comes out. But I assure you, updates will be speedy for this story. I hope you like it, and I appreciate your feedback! :)

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing but the plot line.

* * *

**Sensory Overload**

Summary: Cloud's mako injection bestowed him with heightened senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Perfect for battle, not so much for home. [CloTi]

* * *

**Prologue**

Fenrir's roaring engine dwindled to a lulling hum. Taking the key out of the ignition, Cloud glanced up at the sky. It was nine or ten, give or take, based on how dark the night sky was. It wasn't perfect, but it was still an early end to his day. There was some time to surprise Tifa and the kids and maybe chat with them a bit before sending the kids to bed.

Cloud opened the door and stepped inside, removing his heavy boots as Tifa had scolded him one too many times about bringing in dirt on her clean floor. He heard soft chatter from the adjacent room—a light voice, like Marlene's.

Rounding the corner, his gaze fell upon Denzel, Marlene and a clash of black and red, with broad shoulders and a placid aura.

Cloud blinked, lifting an eyebrow in confusion. "Vincent?"

The gunman sat at the dining table, a forgotten newspaper laying nearby. Marlene stood behind his shoulder, listing and pointing out specific details of her newest drawing. Denzel stared in awe at Vincent's majestic red cape, mumbling "whoa" and "so cool" as he carefully held the soft material in his hand. When the boy's gaze drifted to Vincent's extremely pointed shoes, his eyes almost bugged out of his head in amazement.

His presence going unnoticed, Cloud cleared his throat. The kids' heads sprang up at the sound, looking at him while Vincent casually glanced over his shoulder.

"Cloud!" Marlene yelled, bouncing over to the blonde before launching herself on his leg.

"You're home early," Denzel added, keeping his hold on Vincent's cape.

Cloud stumbled backwards from Marlene's sudden weight, quickly regaining balance as he placed a hand atop her head.

"Yeah," he said, looking between the two before glancing at Vincent. The man regarded him with his usual blank expression, though Cloud could see the subtle exasperation behind his crimson eyes. Silently understanding, Cloud looked at the children. "Isn't it time for bed?"

Denzel frowned while Marlene looked up at him with large, pleading brown eyes. "Tifa said we could stay up till 10 now!"

"Really?" Cloud replied, digging in his back pocket and pulling out his phone. "Why don't we ask her?"

"We're going, we're going," Denzel mumbled, his shoulders drooping as he took Marlene by the wrist.

"But I wasn't done showing Uncle Vinnie my drawing!" Marlene whined.

Cloud cringed. "'Vinnie'?"

"Yeah, that's what Aunt Yuffie calls him!"

_Of course_, he thought, shaking his head. "I'll be upstairs in a few minutes. Go to bed."

Marlene pouted while Denzel waved goodbye. "Come back soon, Vincent!"

Cloud watched them leave the room before returning his gaze to the raven-haired man.

"Vincent."

The quiet man stood up, turning to regard his comrade. "Cloud."

"What are you doing here?

"Tifa asked me to come."

Cloud blinked. "Where is she?"

"Out."

"Where?"

"She didn't say."

His head tilted down. "Oh."

A silence settled between them.

"Those kids of yours are… interesting."

He chuckled quietly. "Yeah, they are." He lifted his gaze. "Never knew you were good with kids."

"I'm not."

"They seem fond of you."

"…" Vincent pushed his cape behind him, "You're home now. I'll be going."

Cloud nodded before heading towards the stairs. "Thanks for keeping an eye on them."

"Tell Tifa to be specific next time," Vincent added. "I'm not a babysitter."

Cloud chuckled. "Will do. See you."

Vincent nodded, blending with the darkness as he walked outside.

Walking upstairs, Cloud made his way to the kids' room. His sharp hearing caught their hushed voices, muffled through the door.

"I like Uncle Vinnie," said Marlene. Cloud quietly drew closer, standing by the door with his head turned. "Do you think he'll be back soon?"

"Maybe, if Tifa has more dates," Denzel answered.

_Dates?_ Cloud thought, lifting a brow.

Marlene echoed his thoughts, repeating incredulously, "Dates?"

"Yeah, that's why Tifa wasn't here tonight and Vincent came over."

The bed creaked as Marlene shifted her position. "But I thought Cloud and Tifa liked each other."

"I thought so too," Denzel mumbled, "but I guess not if Tifa's out with another guy."

Deciding he'd heard enough, Cloud pressed his weight into a squeaky floorboard, resulting in a loud, obnoxious creak. Marlene whispered a flurry of shushes as the children dashed under the covers, imitating loud snoring when Cloud stepped inside.

"No more lying to get a later bed time," he said, eyeing the two before turning to leave.

Just as he took a step, Marlene popped out from under the covers, blurting, "Do you like Tifa?"

"Marlene!" Denzel scolded, popping out as well.

She looked at Denzel and blinked, her face innocent. "What? I'm just wondering." Then she glanced back to Cloud, her voice prodding. "Well, Cloud?"

The man coughed at the question, scratching the back of his head. "…Uh, I—" He paused, a silence settling before he shook his head. "Go to sleep."

"But you didn't answer me!" Marlene whined.

"Go to bed before I tell Tifa you stayed up past your bed time," Cloud ordered. "_Both_ of you."

"Come on, Marlene! You're going to get us in trouble!" Denzel whispered, curling the blanket around him.

"Fine," Marlene huffed, sighing as she buried her face in her pillow.

Cloud eyed the two before turning the light off, closing the door behind him.

He walked downstairs, taking a seat against one of the stools at the bar counter as he glanced at the time. It was ten o'clock now, and Tifa still wasn't home. It was strange, being home when she wasn't. It almost didn't feel like home without her.

Is this what Tifa felt every night? Waiting anxiously for him when he would come home late, to make sure he's all right? But he had his reasons. The travels for deliveries were far, and it took him a long time to go from place to place, despite how fast he drove.

Spotting some dirty dishes in the sink, he decided to clean them to kill time. His laundry was piling up, so he washed that. An hour went by, and still no sign from Tifa. Fenrir needed some tune-ups, and since he was far from tired, now was as good a time as ever to fix her.

He was in the middle of screwing in a bolt when the door lock clicked open. Standing up, he took a dirty rag and wiped the oil from his hands as he glanced offhandedly at the clock. It was midnight when Tifa arrived home.

_At least she came home_, Cloud thought, before dismissing the thought to the back of his mind. Of course she came home. Tifa sleeping with someone on the first date seemed completely unlike her.

He scolded himself for thinking such a thing, but he couldn't help it. Some guy took Tifa out on a date, and he had no idea she had even been asked out. Since she came back so late, it obviously went well.

He walked quietly to the front door, seeing her outline as she sighed softly. The moonlight was dim, keeping the room bathed in darkness, but Cloud's enhanced eyes could see Tifa as though it were clear as day, and what a sight it was.

She was a vision in red, dressed in a stunning red halter dress that hugged her curves with a slit that revealed a too tempting view of her creamy thigh. As she bent forward, loosening the straps of her heels, her backside and the smooth, flawless skin of her back were on perfect display for his ogling eyes.

When she turned in his direction, she jumped before immediately crouching low, preparing to attack the invader in her home.

Realizing it was too dark for her to see him, Cloud quickly said, "Tifa, it's me."

She squinted, her red eyes accentuated by her crimson dress and painted lips. "Cloud? Is that you?"

A sparkle caught his attention as his eyes shifted to the diamond studs adorning her ears. Huh, those were new. Were they a gift from the guy she was seeing? They were nice, and looked expensive.

The more he stared, the more he realized the earrings actually bothered him. It wasn't as though he didn't want Tifa having nice things like that, but he wanted to be the one to give it to her, as it was the least he could do for her having to put up with him. But he'd probably have to take a few high-risk jobs to save enough money to buy something that nice, and even then, what if she didn't like it? He had no experience when it came to buying fine jewelry, hell, he wouldn't even know where to begin—

"Cloud?"

His eyes flickered to her face as he snapped out of his thoughts. Her beauty struck him as he drank in the sight of her, making him almost forget his slight annoyance that she left the kids with Vincent instead of calling him.

Right, that's why he had waited for her—to ask why she didn't call him. The kids were his family too, and the idea that she went to one of their comrades instead of him made him feel unreliable.

Tifa pursed her lips as she tilted her head. "What are you doing here?"

Cloud blinked at her tone. "Nice to see you too."

She gave him a pointed look. "You know what I mean. You said you were going to be gone for two days."

"I delayed the deliveries for a day," he explained. "A sandstorm sealed off the main routes, and it's not good for Fenrir to drive in those conditions."

Tifa laughed quietly. Typical Cloud, worrying about his precious Fenrir. Giving a short nod, she walked passed him to the counter, putting her purse down. Her sweet perfume flooded his nose as she brushed by him, distracting him for a moment with an aromatic daze.

"Uh…" he mumbled, his mind blanking on what he was going to say. The purse buckle clinked against the counter as Tifa turned and glanced at him.

"Cloud?" she questioned, tilting her head.

That scent, that delicious scent was intoxicating him, making him forget how to properly speak. He subtly shook his head, clearing his throat once again.

"Where were you?" he asked. However, his eyes betrayed him, moving away from her face to travel down those long lovely legs of hers. Did they feel as smooth as they looked? His fingers unconsciously curled at the thought.

Despite how distracted as he was, he caught the way she hesitated before answering with, "Yuffie." She nodded, "I was out with Yuffie. Girls night out, you know." Idly, she tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear.

As she looked away from his eyes, he noticed how long and thick her lashes were. Granted they were accentuated with mascara, but the thickness of her lashes brought out the stunning crimson shade of her eyes, and her cheeks, painted with subtle blush, complimented her striking ruby lips.

Cloud never thought much of physical beauty, but he couldn't overlook how stunning his childhood friend looked. For as long as he had known her, Tifa rarely dressed up or wore makeup. During their travels, such a thing was a huge inconvenience, as they were always fighting monsters and hunting after Sephiroth.

Even when running the bar or taking care of the kids, she always dressed casually and sported no makeup. Though with her natural beauty, no one paid any attention to the clothes she wore.

Maybe it was the makeup, the nice dress, or the way the moonlight gave her an ethereal glow that made Cloud unable to take his eyes off her.

"…Cloud? You're staring…"

It took a moment to hear what she had said, too engrossed in his thoughts to notice her speak.

Self-consciously, she raised a hand to cheek. "Is there something on my face?"

Oblivious to the darker shade of blush on her cheeks, Cloud tore his gaze away, shifting his eyes back and forth from the corner of the room and her face.

"No, it's nothing," he mumbled, clearing his throat again.

"Oh… okay, if you say so," she answered, brushing her hair over her shoulder as she glanced at the clock. "It's getting late." Her voice grew a little softer as she asked, "Were you waiting for me?"

"Yeah."

She tilted her head. "Is something on your mind?"

He paused for a moment, choosing his words. "About tonight, with the kids…"

She blinked. "Yes?"

"Why'd you call Vincent instead of me?"

She lifted a brow. "You said you were going to be gone for a few days," she replied. "I wasn't going to ask you to cancel your deliveries to watch the kids." Her head tilted as she placed a hand on her hip. "Is that what's bothering you? That I didn't call you?"

"They're my responsibility too," he replied, fixing his eyes on her. "If someone other than you is taking care of them, I want to know who."

"I didn't think about that," she admitted, scratching her cheek. "Well, it was just Vincent. Don't you trust our friends?"

"It's not about trust," he shot back with slightly narrowed eyes. "It's about staying informed."

"Right," she muttered, her gaze falling to the floor. "Sorry. I guess I'm still not used to you… being home."

Unconsciously, Cloud glanced at his left arm, the very arm that was plagued with Geostigma several months ago. He sighed quietly.

"Tifa—"

"I know, it's in the past," she interrupted before flashing a small smile. "And no more living in the past, right?"

He nodded, "Yeah."

Her smile grew. "Okay. So from now on, if anyone other than you or I are with the kids, I'll let you know. Is that all?"

He nodded again, and she turned around to grab her purse.

"Good. In that case, I'm going to head off to bed." She began to walk towards the stairs, brushing by him. "Goodnight—"

Her heel caught in one of the loose floorboards, making her trip. A small gasp escaped her as her eyes shut instinctively, but instead of hitting the floor, her hands landed against something warm and firm, prompting her eyes open as she lifted her head.

Her gaze met Cloud's cerulean eyes, glowing in the dim light. He held her by her forearms, keeping her steady.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking her over.

Tifa blushed in embarrassment, slowly nodding as she straightened herself. "I knew I should have taken these things off the second I got home. It's been so long, I forgot how to walk in them."

He released her arms, watching as she placed one hand on his shoulder for balance while the other reached back to grab the heel from her popped foot. She lowered her leg and lifted the other one, removing the pair from her other foot. A smile curved her lips as her shoes dangled from the straps around her fingers.

Cloud eyed her shoes with distaste, recalling with a frown how he had to wear those godforsaken things while disguising as a woman to rescue Tifa from Don Corneo.

"I don't know why you like those things," he mumbled. "They're damn uncomfortable."

Tifa blinked, raising an eyebrow in confusion. Quickly realizing what he was referring too, she burst out laughing at his sour face.

"You know, you looked _really_ pretty," she teased.

He rolled his eyes before feeling her arms suddenly wrap around his neck. He blinked in confusion as she rested her chin on his shoulder.

"…Tifa?" he mumbled.

"Thank you," she murmured softly.

His eyes widened slightly. "For what?"

She was silent for a moment as her arms tightened around him. "For everything," she answered before she drew back, giving him a radiant smile.

Feeling a blush creep on his cheeks, Cloud turned his head away, racking his brain to think of a response. Suddenly he felt her lips ghost over his cheek, officially scrambling his thoughts as he found himself at a loss for words.

He looked at her with surprised eyes, finding her smiling shyly with flushed cheeks.

"Goodnight Cloud," she whispered, brushing by him as she walked up the stairs.

His body froze, unmoving for several moments before his fingers raised and brushed against his cheek. He took a side step, glancing over his shoulder to find Tifa already disappeared into her room.

A blush warmed his face. She… thanked him? Tifa, the girl who always put everyone else before herself, thanked him? He should be the one thanking _her_. She helped him find himself, was always there for him even when he abandoned her, continued to be there whenever he needed her. Why would she thank him?

He drew a breath, only to catch a whiff of her perfume, temporarily making his mind draw a blank.

She had told him she was out with Yuffie for a "girls' night out", but Denzel knew she was on a date. He probably misunderstood—after all, he was still a young boy.

But the way she looked, the way she smelled… Tifa wouldn't dress that nice for Yuffie. Maybe the spunky ninja made her dress up for whatever they went out to do. Or maybe, Cloud sighed, maybe she _was_ on a date, something he didn't even want to think about.

He glanced at the clock, finding it to be about one in the morning. It was late; he could see Tifa was tired while he spoke with her. He wanted to know why she lied to him, but maybe that could wait till morning.

Walking up the stairs, he made his way towards his room and reclined against the bed. He drew a deep breath, finding the scent of her perfume lingering on his clothes evoking the same chill that shot up his spine when she kissed him on the cheek.

Though he normally slept in his boxers, as a shirt and pants were often too bothersome, perhaps tonight, while bathed in this sweet scent, he'd make an exception.


	2. Part I – Seeing

**Author's Note:** Hi! Sorry this is late, but I'm free from finals! Yay! So now the story's rolling. This next part may be a little slow, but afterwards it'll get interesting! :] Thanks for your interest in the story so far!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plotline.

* * *

**Sensory Overload**

Summary: Cloud's mako injection bestowed him with heightened senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Perfect for battle, not so much for home. [CloTi]

* * *

**Part I – Seeing**

The morning rays streamed through the window, rousing Cloud from his slumber. Groggily, he opened his eyes, his focus gradually clearing to the sight of the ceiling. Drawing a breath, he stood up from the bed and dressed in a fresh pair of clothes.

He heard distant voices as he walked down the stairs. Stepping off the last step, he glanced to his right to find Denzel and Marlene sitting at the dining table while Tifa cooked in the kitchen. Upon his arrival, the three glanced towards him and smiled.

"Morning," Tifa greeted, moving the spatula about in the pan as she cooked scrambled eggs. "Are you hungry? I'm almost done."

Cloud gave a hint of a nod, mumbling thanks as he took a seat at the table, idly drifting his gaze towards her as she brought out a few plates and glasses. She was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and jeans, plain clothing compared to the fancy dress she had been wearing the night before.

He rested his cheek against his palm as his thoughts began to wander. Last night, he had waited for her to come home after hearing from Denzel that she'd been on a date. When he had asked where she was, he remembered how she faltered before unconvincingly telling him that she was with Yuffie for a "girl's night out."

He frowned at the memory. Why would she lie to him? What did she have to hide? What would be the harm in telling him she was seeing someone?

Well, it wasn't any of his business, but still, he would tell her if he was seeing someone, even if the odds of that happening were extremely low.

Lost in his thoughts, Cloud was oblivious to Denzel and Marlene's exchanged glances, particularly the way the little girl narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she looked back and forth between Cloud and Tifa.

Tifa divided the scramble eggs into equal portions on four plates before adding bacon, sausage and toast. Walking towards the table, she placed the plates down before each person.

As she served him, Cloud studied her face. Her eyes were brighter without the mascara, her skin fair without blush and her lips back to their natural pink color. But even without the makeup and the fancy dress, she still looked radiant, especially when she smiled at him the way she did as she placed the food before him.

Marlene mouthed something to Denzel as Tifa retreated to the kitchen to gather glasses and orange juice. The older boy shrugged while Cloud became consumed with the delicious aroma of Tifa's cooking.

Tifa placed the glasses on the table along with milk and orange juice, then took her seat across Cloud, with Denzel and Marlene sitting on either side of her. Smiling cheerily at each of them, she said, "Dig in!"

Immediately, Denzel began stuffing his mouth with food. Marlene ate more ladylike, taking small bites and chewing delicately while Cloud, despite being hungry, left his food untouched.

Noticing his distant gaze, Tifa frowned. "Cloud?" she called, watching his eyes shift towards her. "Is something wrong?"

_Yes_, he thought, but the kids were around. He wasn't going to talk about an issue like this in front of them, but when would there be another opportunity to ask? And even then, how would he ask her? He was never very good with confrontations—

"Cloud's probably mad 'cause you were on a date," Denzel mumbled, his voice muffled with a mouth half-full of food.

Cloud's eyes widened as he looked at the boy. Well, so much for avoiding confrontation.

Tifa flinched, looking at Denzel as an embarrassed blush spread across her cheeks. "What? Where did you hear that?"

The boy merely stuffed more food in his mouth, smiling sheepishly with round cheeks.

Marlene trembled a little, as though straining to hold back what she wanted to say. But then she suddenly cried, "How could you, Tifa! I thought you liked Cloud!"

"Eh?! Marlene—"

Denzel swallowed his food before shoving Cloud's arm. "Cloud, do something!"

The man blinked as three pairs of eyes shifted to him. A silence settled as he glanced back and forth between Denzel's expectant gaze and Tifa's startled face.

He paused before clearing his throat. "Uh, whoever Tifa wants to date is her choice."

The woman faltered for a moment before quickly regaining her composure, nodding in agreement. "Y-Yeah, that's right!"

"But that's not how the story goes," Marlene mumbled, poking at her food.

"What story?" Tifa asked.

"The story Aunt Yuffie told us! The brave warrior and the pretty fighter are supposed to kiss and get married—"

The chair scraped loudly against the floor as Cloud stood up, prompting the others to stare up at him.

"Cloud?" Tifa asked with a confused expression.

"Gotta make a few calls," he answered briskly. "That sandstorm's going last a few more days."

* * *

When Cloud returned to the kitchen, the kids were putting their dishes in the sink as Tifa told them to get their things for school.

Upon his return, she glanced at his face before whisking her head away and walking to the opposite of where he stood.

Cloud lifted a brow. Was she embarrassed because of what had just happened?

As the kids left the room to get their backpacks, Cloud was left alone with Tifa, despite the noticeably large gap between them. Nevertheless, now seemed as good a time as any to ask about that "date" of hers.

Clearing his throat, he watched her move over to the sink. "Tifa—"

She lifted the tap as water came rushing down. Lathering a sponge in soap, she began washing the dishes.

The water effectively drowned out his voice, making him close his mouth. There was no point in asking now, not when she couldn't hear him. Was she avoiding the question?

When she finished, she glanced at his face before looking away and drying her hands with an idle towel.

"Did you say something?" she asked innocently.

Cloud stared before nodding, opening his mouth—only to be interrupted by a rush of footsteps stampeding down the stairs.

"Ready!" the kids said in unison.

"Good," Tifa replied, smiling brightly at the two of them before pushing them lightly from behind. "Let's go before we're late."

"Wait, isn't Cloud coming too?" Denzel asked, glancing at the older man as Marlene nodded eagerly.

Tifa blinked. "Uh, well, he probably wants to rest—"

"It's fine," Cloud interrupted, ruffling both the kids' hair.

"Yay!" Marlene cheered as Denzel grinned.

Tifa glanced between Cloud and the kids as Marlene slipped her hand in Cloud's while Denzel played with Fenrir's keys. A warm smile curved her lips as she followed quietly behind.

* * *

"Will you pick us up too, Cloud?" Marlene asked.

"Sure," he answered, giving her a small smile.

"Bye Cloud! Bye Tifa!" Denzel called, waving from the entrance door. Marlene gave the two a hug before rushing inside.

Cloud watched them for a moment before turning around and heading back towards Seventh Heaven. Tifa appeared at his side a moment later.

"That was nice of you," she said, smiling kindly.

He shrugged. "It was nothing."

"Not to them. You're their hero, you know."

He tilted his head down, a small smile crossing his face. "Yeah…"

Tifa leaned over from the side, peering up at his face. She beamed at him before standing straight, lacing her fingers behind her back as the two walked the few blocks home in comfortably silence.

When they returned, Tifa quickly busied herself with menial tasks while Cloud stood at the entrance.

Her gaze drifted to his face, noting his vacant expression. Blinking curiously, she asked, "What are you thinking about?"

His eyes gradually rose from the floorboards to her face. "About last night…"

Her eyes widened a fraction before she whirled around and opened the fridge. "Oh, I need to go grocery shopping!" Grabbing a nearby notepad, she swiftly scribbled down what she needed.

Cloud blinked. He sure was getting interrupted a lot today.

"I'll go with you," he offered, watching her face snap towards him..

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she replied hastily, dismissing the thought with a wave of her hand.

"Why not?" he asked. She tilted her head, leading him to give an offhand shrug. "Better than sitting around."

"Um… okay then," she acquiesced, giving him a small smile. "Thank you." She gathered her things and the grocery list, placing them inside a purse slung over her shoulder. Cloud turned towards the door and gripped the handle when she quickly said, "Will you drive?"

He looked at her, lifting an eyebrow at her request. "The store's not that far."

"You're right," Tifa replied, looking away for a moment before returning to his gaze. "But my feet are hurting. Please?"

Cloud tilted his head. Her feet weren't hurting on the way to school with the kids, not to mention her tone of voice was unconvincing.

Well, no point in thinking too much of it. When there was an opportunity to drive Fenrir, he'd always take it.

He dug the keys out of his pocket, muttering, "Okay," as he walked towards the garage door. Tifa's face brightened as she trailed behind him.

He swung his leg over the seat, gripping the handles as he waited for Tifa to get settled in behind him. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders and her thighs straddled his, sending a chill shot up his spine. When her voluptuous chest pressed into his back, he inhaled a sharp breath, quickly turning on Fenrir's engine to distract himself from his wandering thoughts.

The two arrived to the market mere minutes later, courtesy of Cloud's speedy driving. Tifa hopped off the bike while Cloud removed the key. Digging out the grocery list, she scurried inside as Cloud followed quietly behind.

She mumbled the list quietly under her breath, red eyes scanning the aisles for the appropriate things she needed. It was interesting, watching her do such a mundane task. She would lower her head and place a hand on her chin when she calculated mentally which price would be the better deal before making a decision a few minutes later and putting the selection in the cart. She'd beam triumphantly after digging through fruits and picking out the best looking ones. She got some vegetables too, which him and the kids didn't necessarily _love_, but Tifa insisted on a healthy diet. After seeing Cloud's sour face at the organic foods, she picked up a case of his favorite beer and some of Denzel and Marlene's favorite sweets. Sometimes, during their shopping, she'd ask him what flavors or foods he preferred, to which he'd give simple answers. Other than that, he found himself simply observing her, noticing small things like the way her eyes lit up when she found the corresponding coupons just in time to pay the cashier.

As they left the grocery store, hands full of plastic bags, he wondered: when had they become so _normal_? He glanced to Tifa's gloved hands, noting how the material wasn't worn or dirty from fighting. His own swords were beginning to get rusty too, locked away inside Fenrir.

The adjustment was… different. Strange, not having to worry about anything. No more Sephiroth, no more geostigma. Just Tifa and the kids, and their friends when they would visit on the occasion. There was nothing wrong, no impending doom on the world. Things were… peaceful.

Peace… the concept was foreign to him, and he couldn't help but wonder… did he deserve this? Was he really worthy?

* * *

The sunset streaked the sky in red and gold. As the kids rested in their rooms, Tifa opened the bar for her customers.

"Hey, if you're not doing anything," she said, holding bottles of liquor as she glanced at Cloud, "would you mind helping me with the bar? Thursday nights can get a little hectic."

And that's where Cloud found himself, bringing drinks to the customers who turned sour because their pretty barmaid wasn't serving them like usual. The swordsman ignored their jeers, and soon the rush was over. While customers still lingered, the evening had slowed considerably, leaving Cloud to nurse a beer at a corner table while keeping an eye on the drunks.

Tifa moved about quickly and expertly, a charming smile fixed on her face as she served her customers. He wondered if she was aware of how all the men's gazes, including his own, trailed after her wherever she went. He felt a foreign sting of jealousy as he watched her act so friendly with the patrons. At this point in the evening, the alcohol was kicking in and the crowd was becoming livelier.

The customers were calling her name left and right. Sometimes they actually needed refills, most of the time they just wanted her attention. The people sitting on the bar stools spun vivid stories for their favorite barmaid, and Tifa seemed genuinely interested in hearing them. She'd laugh and smile, and the regulars would mirror that happy smile while some would flush at how pretty she looked with such a warm smile.

As Cloud watched them, he realized that not all the men were drooling over her obvious physical beauty. Some of them seemed to sincerely respect her as a companion, telling them about their families and asking about her own. While scanning the crowd with narrowed eyes, he wondered which one of the men was the one who took Tifa out, or if more were asking her out without him even realizing it.

While walking towards one of the tables, one of the men brushed his hand against Tifa's backside. Cloud's eyes narrowed dangerously at this, but Tifa merely smiled it off. This happened a few more times throughout the night with different men, and she gave the same reaction each time. It irritated him to think that people were basically fondling her and pretending it was an accident, but Tifa seemed used to it, so it'd be pointless to make a fuss about every little thing. Besides, sometimes it really _was_ an accident, though Cloud knew that most of the time it wasn't.

At one point, one of the drunks was getting really aggressive with her. With every action, Cloud's temper was slowly building. The man was calling her "sweet cheeks", whistling her over like some mistress, making loud, obnoxious comments about her figure and openly hitting on her. He was part of the men who kept "accidentally" touching her, too, and the idea of his filthy hands on her made Cloud's blood boil.

When Tifa went to take the man's empty glasses away, the man wound his arm around her waist and drew her to him.

"I know you've been checking me out all night," he rasped in a drunken slur, "so why don't we get out of here so I can make you feel like a _real_ woman?"

The guy was practically twice her size, but Tifa was unfazed. Pulling his hand off her waist, she said calmly with a fake smile, "I think you've had enough for tonight."

He cackled before grabbing her rear, standing up and easily towering over her. "Funny girl. I like that."

Cloud's eyes flashed ominously as he abruptly stood up. He took a step towards her as another customer spoke.

"Oi, Tifa, this guy giving you trouble?" asked an older man. Cloud watched with narrowed eyes as a few other guys got up and crowded the drunk man.

"It's okay, Earl," Tifa replied, flashing a sweet smile before bending the drunk's wrist in an unnatural angle. The intoxicated man howled in pain as Tifa kept her sweet smile. "Nothing I can't handle."

The men nodded, slinking back to their seats as the plastered man cursed her on his way out.

Cloud walked over to Tifa, eying her head to toe. "Are you okay?"

She huffed a small breath before flashing him a smile. "I'm fine." Feeling the dangerous aura radiating from him, she placed a placating hand on his arm. "Really. Don't worry, okay?"

"She's right," said Earl, causing the two to glance at him. "Miss Tifa's strong, but if she ever needs any help, the boys and I got her back. Nothing to lose sleep about."

Cloud stared at the older man before lowering his gaze to the floor.

Tifa smiled. "Thanks, Earl. That's sweet." Squeezing Cloud's arm reassuringly, she said in a hushed voice, "See? Everything's all right."

He kept his eyes on the ground, avoiding her worried gaze. Shrugging his arm out of her grasp, he headed towards the door, ignoring the soft call of his name.

The cool air was refreshing as he stepped outside. He needed a moment to himself, to sort through the conflicting emotions swirling within him. Anger, jealousy, being unnecessary—together, they created an unsettling hollow sensation in his body.

With eyes trained on the sidewalk, he walked an aimless path. Wandering around for a little bit would probably take his mind off things. He closed his eyes briefly, listening to the sounds of the city.

"Oi, Spiky."

Cloud opened his eyes, lifting his gaze to find the drunken man that had been in Tifa's bar moments ago.

"You tell that _bitch_ never to disrespect me like that again, you hear me?"

His hand clenched into a fist, but Cloud said nothing. He was trying to rid the anger building within him, not fuel it. Resolutely, he shoved his fists in his pockets and continued walking, brushing by the man.

Sneering, the drunk said in a slur, "_'Ey, _where do you think you're going—"

He slammed his fist against Cloud's jaw, sending the swordsman back a few feet. Cloud scowled menacingly as he stood up straight, swiping his chin with the back of his hand.

He lunged forward, clenching a tight fist, and then he saw red.


	3. Part II – Hearing

**Author's Note:** Hi guys! Thank you so much for your feedback, you guys are leaving such awesome comments and I sincerely appreciate the thought going into your reviews! I'm forever flattered, as I've just had this story sitting on my computer since earlier this year really, and what mostly delayed its sharing was my laziness when it came around to editing. Truth be told I'm not 100% satisfied with the story, but stories are meant for sharing and _SirenMist,_ your spontaneous review put the biggest smile on my face and made me want to upload the next part, so thank you so much!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plotline.

* * *

**Sensory Overload**

Summary: Cloud's mako injection bestowed him with heightened senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Perfect for battle, not so much for home. [CloTi]

* * *

**Part II – Hearing**

Thousands of bright, twinkling stars decorated the night sky. The air was cool and crisp, fitting the tranquility of the dead of night.

Tifa had closed the bar around two, and not long after, Cloud found himself sitting on the porch of Seventh Heaven, staring up into the dark sky with an aching jaw and bruised knuckles.

The fight with the intoxicated man hadn't lasted long. They exchanged blows, but most of the drunk's missed while Cloud's were quick and precise. When his fist struck the man's face, he felt a wave of elation, and before he knew it he was releasing the frustration that he'd been unknowingly building up.

Having everything normal and all right… it was nice. But then came the worry of when—not if—something would go wrong. All this peace left Cloud to his thoughts, and his thoughts led him to dark corners. He was certainly better than how he had been several months ago when geostigma plagued him, but some doubts still lingered behind.

He felt the most comfortable fighting. He was in his element, only having to worry about the present, not the future. It was a time, no matter how brief, that he felt powerful, in control of the outcome because of the assurance in his skills. Besides, the drunk man, he was certainly no Sephiroth nor a remnant. Nothing Cloud couldn't handle.

Still, those months out of practice left his muscles sore from the fight. His knuckles were throbbing and the bruise on his face was aching, but hopefully the mark wouldn't draw too many questions.

He heaved a quiet sigh, resting his elbows against his bent knees. As he absently stared at the gauze bandaging his hands, he found himself lost in his thoughts once again.

"There you are."

He briefly glanced to the side, finding Tifa peering down at him. She brushed down the back of her pants before taking a seat beside him, hugging her knees to her chest.

She looked at the sky, the stars reflecting in her dark red eyes. "So this is why I couldn't find you in your room, hm? I don't blame you. It's gorgeous out tonight."

Cloud merely trained his eyes on the ground. The soft chirps of crickets and distant hums of the city filled the silence.

"So, what's wrong?"

He glanced at her, finding her gaze fixed on the sky.

Her eyes flashed to his face before looking up once more. "You were upset when you left earlier."

He looked away, staring at the porch. "It's… quiet," he murmured. He saw her look at him, tilting her head questioningly. "I'm not used to quiet."

She glanced at her shoes. "Silence isn't always a bad thing." Stretching out her legs, she propped her arms behind herself. "What's really bothering you?"

He lowered his head, avoiding her eyes.

Tifa leaned her cheek against her shoulder. "Don't say 'nothing'. It's written all over your face. Well?"

He shifted before exhaling a quiet sigh. "I don't like it."

"Like what?"

He glanced offhandedly to his right. "Being away all the time, for deliveries. I can't be there to help you run the bar, or to keep stupid drunks away."

Her face softened. "Well, that's okay. You know I can hold my own, and there's Earl and the other guys always watching over me."

"They shouldn't have to," he retorted with a frown. "I should be there."

"Cloud," she said gently, placing a hand on his forearm. "It's okay, really. Things like tonight don't happen as often as you might think."

He averted his gaze. "What about your dates?"

Tifa flinched, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "D-Dates? I, uh, d-don't know what you mean—"

Cloud looked at the ground, tilting his head low. So it was true.

She stuttered nonsense before heaving a sigh. "Okay, you're right. Sometimes quiet is strange, but I'm trying to get used to it. So with this normal life, I wanted to try normal things, like dating."

He snuck a glance at her. "How many dates have you had?"

She twiddled her thumbs, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "Not a lot. Just a few."

He ducked his head. "Is it serious?"

"…No…" she replied softly, her lashes lowering over her eyes.

"…Do you want it to be?"

A silence settled in.

_She does but can't admit it_, Cloud thought sullenly, slouching his shoulders.

Tifa drew a soft breath, catching his attention. "Look, dating… I tried it to be normal, but the truth is I didn't like it. Nothing about you and I, our situation, what we went through, is normal. It's hard to pretend like it didn't happen when I'm out with these guys because, compared to them, I'm so… abnormal." She laughed quietly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I guess that sounds kind of silly, huh?"

Cloud looked towards the sky. "Not really."

She peeked at him. "You think so?"

He gave a small shrug, glancing at her face before looking away.

"Why did you lie?" he asked quietly.

Tifa stared at him, staying silent for a few moments. "I… don't know," she mumbled truthfully. "I guess… I thought it'd be weird to talk about."

Her gaze drifted, lowering from his eyes to his cheek to a strange discolored mark on his jaw. She squinted, leaning closer towards him as she strained her eyes to see through the night's darkness.

Cloud looked at her, eyeing the odd look on her face. "What?"

"Cloud…"

She slowly lifted her hand, gently pressing her fingertips against the side of his chin. His jaw clenched as a small hiss escaped him at the contact, his body instinctively leaning away from her touch.

Her eyes widened. "You're hurt."

She looked down to his hands, hidden between his knees. Leaning over, she grabbed them and picked them up, blinking in surprise at the worn gauze bandaging his knuckles.

"You were in a fight," she said, looking at his face as Cloud avoided her gaze. "With who? Wait—don't tell me it was the drunk from the bar earlier."

"He punched me," Cloud muttered.

"What?" Tifa gasped. Her hands unconsciously tightened around his, making him wince slightly. "Oh, sorry," she mumbled, brushing her fingers soothingly against the bandages. "Here, let's go get these changed."

He opened his mouth to reply, but she shot him a stern look, effectively silencing him as she pulled him up by his arm. He let her drag him into the kitchen where she fetched the first aid kit, unlatching the box and pulling out the fresh gauze.

"Give me your hands," she said softly.

He silently complied, feeling her warm hands encase his as she tenderly removed the used gauze and piled it aside. He watched her as she stood close to him, quietly wrapping a fresh bandage around his hand.

"You did this on purpose," she murmured.

He frowned. "He punched me."

"And that justifies the fight, right?" She gently held his hand as he avoided her gaze. "Cloud… we don't have to fight anymore. Why are you missing it?"

"I'm not," he retorted.

"But you are," she shot back. "You left tonight to go pick a fight—"

"No," he interrupted sternly. "I left to calm down."

She closed her mouth, falling silent as she gently released his hand. "Okay." She put the first aid box away before turning to face him once more. "Just… don't come home late anymore. Or hurt."

"Tifa," he called, watching as she glanced at him. "We can't let our guard down. Something will happen—"

"—Nothing will happen—"

"—and we need to be ready."

"No," she murmured softly. "There's nothing threatening the world anymore. It's all in the past, I promise."

"…But—"

"It's an adjustment. We just need some more time to get used to it." She walked over to him, taking his arm and yawning softly. "Come on. It's late."

She led him up the stairs, her side gently pressing against his.

"I know it's weird…" she mumbled, yawning once more, "believe me, I do. But we don't have to worry anymore. It's over now."

When they reached his door, she released his arm, turning to face him as she leaned against the wall. She looked in his eyes, noting the doubt brewing within them.

"You weren't listening," she said softly.

"I was," he muttered, averting her eyes.

"No," Tifa retorted. "You heard me, but you weren't listening."

He stared at his feet. "How can you be so sure?"

Tifa tilted her head, lacing her fingers behind her back. "Close your eyes."

He arched a brow. "What?"

She smiled. "You heard me. Close your eyes."

He eyed her for a moment, blinking before complying.

"Good. Now, listen to the city. Just listen."

There was a distant sound of traffic, quiet footsteps, the faint buzzing of a neon sign.

"What do you hear?"

"…Nothing." Just ambient noise.

"Right."

He opened his eyes, finding a smile on her pretty face.

"When you're feeling like this—restless, doubtful—I want you to listen to the city. Would you do that for me?"

He stared at her. "Why?"

"The more you listen, the more you'll grow accustomed to it. Just give it some time. This is our life now." She placed her hands on her hips, lightly scolding, "So no more fights, okay?"

Cloud tilted his head down, lowering his gaze to the floor before he closed his eyes. "…Okay."

* * *

It had been good advice.

Over the next few days, when Cloud felt anxiety creeping into him, he'd lay in his bed beside the open the window and listen to the sounds of the city. For the most part, it worked. The noises distracted him from his wandering thoughts, and after a while, he'd be able to drift into sleep.

This night, however, was a little different. The city was oddly quiet, and the silence was unsettling. Where was the traffic? The footsteps of people absently wandering the streets? The stray animals wandering through the alleyways?

Sitting upright, he swung his legs off the mattress. He shrugged on his jacket and headed towards the door, determined to check out what was wrong. There had to be _something_—the city was never this quiet, and without its regular noise, he wouldn't be able to sleep.

When he stepped outside his room, he heard a strange sound coming from his right, catching his attention. Following the source of the sound, he found himself staring at Tifa's door.

Was she okay? Did she need something? Did she hear him leave his room?

He quietly approached closer, stopping outside the cracked opening of her door, knowing she always left it ajar in case the kids needed anything. He heard a faint rustling of bed sheets, probably her just moving around.

But then he heard her voice, a soft sigh and then, "Cloud…"

He stilled. Did she see him? Hear him?

"Cotton candy… soft as a cloud… mm…"

Cloud blinked. Cotton candy? So the noise he heard was just her talking her sleep? Huh, strange, but not anything to be concerned over.

Descending down the stairs, Cloud walked out the door. He wandered along the streets, through a few neighborhoods. The chilly air felt nice on his skin, and the silence actually served as a comfortable companion. There was still activity, but it was quieter and subdued, not as rowdy as it usually would be.

Tifa was right, things really were okay. His paranoia had convinced him otherwise, but the evidence before him made a compelling argument. People were sleeping at home with their families, not worrying about Meteor striking or Weapon or any other foreign threats. Things were peaceful.

As he returned to Seventh Heaven, he felt much more at ease than when he had left. Everything was fine, it was just a quiet night. With that in mind, he returned to his room and fell into slumber.

The following nights, the ambient sound of the city returned, helping lull him to sleep once more.

* * *

Occasionally, Cloud learned, the city had quiet nights. With the silent stillness, his hearing was instinctively sharper, on alert for any distracting sound.

Cloud also learned that on these quiet nights, Tifa became quite chatty in her sleep. She spoke in hushed mumbles, but the sound always stole Cloud's attention. He just needed to listen to _something_, to not be left alone in his thoughts, and the paper-thin walls allowed her voice to seep through.

One night she dreamed about groceries as she listed a random compilation of food groups. Another night she was mumbling about drinking recipes, with certain dashes of this to add to that and to shake for this long to create this taste.

The woman was interesting, being so dedicated to everyone else during the day that she also spent her personal dreams thinking about things for other people. Surely she must have wanted _something_ for herself, right?

One particular night, she didn't seem to be having a pleasant dream. All the creaks and rustles from her bed were so noisy they were keeping Cloud awake rather than lulling him to sleep, and her movements seemed to increase as the night went on. Was she having a nightmare?

When he heard her make a noise followed by a thud, he pushed himself out of his bed and made his way towards her room.

Did she fall? Had she hurt herself? What kind of dream was she having? Must've been something disturbing if she was making this much noise.

Outside her door, he peeked inside her room, looking through the small opening slit. Though the room was bathed in darkness, he could see the outline of her body, writhing in her bed sheets.

For a moment, he hesitated, debating if he should go inside and wake her. She _was_ moving around a lot and it _was_ concerning, but there were implications with going into her room at this hour. He didn't want to give her the wrong idea, he really was just checking up on her—

She groaned, snapping him out of his thoughts, and rolled on her stomach. Her hair fanned across her face and back as she drew a breath.

"Cloud…"

The man blinked. Was she dreaming of something cloudy again? He took a side step to leave, deciding not to linger any longer, until he paused when she spoke again.

"_Cloud_…"

Her voice was throaty and _extremely_ sensual, making him stiffen. He turned and looked at her, eyes wide as her legs shifted and her chest heaved in shallow breaths. Her brows were knit close together, her eyes closed tight as she squirmed and whimpered softly, sighing his name once more.

Cloud froze, stunned. He couldn't believe it—she was _dreaming_ about him. But what the hell was she dreaming about that was making her move around so much and say his name like… _that_?

He noticed movement beneath the blanket, suspiciously near her legs, and wait, should he be watching this? But he couldn't tear his eyes away, mesmerized by the way her skin glistened in a light coat of sweat, how she tilted her head back and parted her pink lips to gasp, and it was _his_ name she was breathing, the very sound burned in his memory.

Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming. There was no way this was happening right now. And if it was—no, he wouldn't even entertain that possibility because there was _no way_ this was happening.

Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away, forcing his legs to walk back to his bedroom. He closed his eyes and tried to make himself fall asleep, but he could still hear Tifa tossing and turning and groaning in the next room, keeping him awake.

Yeah, dream or not, he definitely wasn't going to be sleeping tonight.


	4. Part III – Smelling

**Author's Note:** Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the delay. The rest of the story has been written – I'm just so lazy when it comes to rereading this. To be honest I'm not exactly boasting the quality of this story, to me it's just meh. But I do really appreciate your interest in reading it, so I upload it for you. Hope you like it and I'll try and get the next chapter out soon!

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing but the plotline.

* * *

**Sensory Overload**

Summary: Cloud's mako injection bestowed him with heightened senses: seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Perfect for battle, not so much for home. [CloTi]

* * *

**Part III – Smelling**

In a long, narrow road, the green of the fields clashed with the blue of the sky.

Leaning forward with hands tightly gripping Fenrir's handles, Cloud sped down the highway. Wind rustled through his spiky hair and clothes as he pressed the gas pedal harder, going even faster.

From Edge to Junon, from Junon to Chocobo Farm—Cloud mentally mapped out the routes in his head. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure the packages weren't flying off from Fenrir's high speed.

The hours seemed to whisk by. The day was standard routine. Deliver here, deliver there, sign here, initial there, the date today is this or that. Mutter thanks for the business, accept tips and get back on his bike and drive off. Typical, normal, ordinary.

He made it home in about an hour. Stepping inside, he rolled his shoulders back and relaxed the weary muscles. He dragged his feet up the stairs, opening the door to his room. A nap was _just_ the thing he needed—but his bed was occupied.

He froze mid-step, eyes wide.

Tifa, a very _scantily clad_ Tifa, was in his bed. What she was wearing—since when did she own clothes like _that_? Some type of lingerie things consisting of a lacy red tank top with a mesh stomach paired with matching red panties. The thin fabric molded against her curves, drawing the eye to her plentiful assets and making it extremely hard to tear his gaze away. But her eyes—she was looking at him with dark red eyes gleaming with lust and a beautifully seductive smile.

Cloud swallowed very, very slowly. This wss definitely not typical, normal or ordinary. Far from it.

He whisked his head away, hoping she couldn't see the blush spreading on his cheeks. "T-Tifa, what—?"

She suddenly pounced on him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her soft curves into him. Cloud visibly flinched, every muscle in his body tensing.

She shifted a little, hands sliding down his chest chest as she tugged the zipper his vest down with her teeth. His heart was racing, thumping wildly in his chest.

He tried to call her name, but when she pressed her cool lips against his searing skin, his throat went dry. He gaped as she knelt before him, flashing him that same seductive smile as she began to undo his belt.

Snapping out of his reverie, Cloud grabbed her hands, bringing her back to her feet. Tifa simply blinked innocently as he blurted, "What's gotten into you?"

She smiled softly at him, tilting her head and leaning forward, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He stilled, breath catching in his throat as her hand ran down his bare chest to the crotch of his pants.

She brought her lips to the shell of his ear. "Cloud…"

His eyes shifted, catching a glimpse of the side of her face. The way she called his name was just like that dreamy, breathless voice he heard her have last night. He swallowed and opened his mouth to ask what was going _on_—but he choked out a grunt when she applied pressure to the hand between his legs, rubbing sensuously slow.

Cloud groaned through clenched teeth, breathing through his nose. He felt her smile against him before pressing a kiss to his neck, running her tongue along his pulse.

"Cloud…" she whispered, so throaty it made his chest tighten. Her hand started rubbing faster.

His mind was growing hazy. A part of him wondered, was she testing him? But testing what, his level of restraint? She had to know how attractive she was to any hot-blooded male.

But her behavior was so unlike her. She was normally modest. He assumed she would be reserved in this kind of situation—but the fact that she was acting so confident was a huge turn-on.

His mental battle continued silently in his head. He closed his eyes when her hand began to rub harder and her teeth grazed his skin.

To act, to not act—one simple action would change their friendship indefinitely. His body screamed to act, his mind made him hesitant.

But then she whispered in a soft, enticing voice, "Touch me…"

And he thought, to hell with restraints. He'd pay for the consequences of his actions later.

In a split second he had her pressed against the wall with his mouth over hers. Her hand buried in his hair as he sucked her bottom lip before driving his tongue inside her mouth. She moaned loudly as her other hand moved from his pants to the side of his neck.

He grabbed the underside of her thigh, hitching up his side. She eagerly wrapped her leg around his waist, giving him room to grind against her. Tifa pulled away from his mouth as her hand cupped his cheek. He looked at her, mirroring her heavy-lidded gaze as he thrust his hips against hers.

Their breath mingled together as they both panted harshly. He rubbed his growing arousal against the center of her panties, making her eyes close and her head loll to the side. She moaned softly, burying her hand in his hair as Cloud pressed open-mouthed kisses to her neck, sucking on her skin.

When he heard her whimper, "Yes," he realized he was roughly grinding into her, pressing her to the wall. He looked at her face, seeing her erotic blissful expression of eyes closed, flushed cheeks and parted red lips.

Her smooth skin rubbing against his felt heavenly. The way her soft, perky breasts bounced against his bare chest with his thrusts made his body heat up. He captured her lips again, and she moaned sweetly into his mouth. She started rolling her hips to match his thrusts, sending shivers down his spine. When he pulled his mouth away, his breathing was ragged.

"Cloud…" she murmured in that breathy voice he couldn't get enough of. "Cloud… Cloud—"

* * *

"Cloud!"

The swordsman jumped at the sudden call, his eyes snapping open. He was immediately met with blurred vision before his sight cleared a few seconds later, finding Tifa looking down at him with large red eyes.

"Finally," she said, hunched forward with hands on her knees. As she straightened herself, she added, "I've been calling your name for the past few minutes. Didn't you hear me?"

He stared at her with wide cerulean eyes, feeling his heart race inside his chest as his body tensed.

"Apparently not," she answered for him. "You were moving around a lot. Were you having a nightmare?"

Her words seemed like a blur to him as his mind was still caught in the fantasy, taking several moments for reality to descend upon him.

He mentally slouched, disappointment welling inside him. Of course it was a dream. Who was he kidding, thinking Tifa could be interested in someone as broken as him?

His eyes grew distant as he recalled the extremely vivid details of his dream. It felt so _real_— He tensed when he felt a familiar throb between his legs, quickly shifting the blankets and adjusting his body to conceal himself from Tifa.

"Cloud?"

"_Cloud…"_

_Shit. _He shouldn't be having those thoughts. Not when she was in the room, close enough for him to easily pull her wrist and roll on top of her—

"Are you all right?"

He stared vacantly at her, fighting the images playing in his mind.

"Are you sick?" She sat beside him on the bed, placing a hand on his forehead. "You're sweating, and your face is red…" She frowned, her face concerned. "Do you have a fever?"

Her eyes trailed down his slightly trembling arm, her frown growing deeper.

"Hey…"

Her voice was warm and soft as she gently pried his hand from the death grip he held on the bed sheets.

"It's okay," she soothed. "It's over now."

He almost wanted to laugh. If only he could tell her he was having the furthest thing from a nightmare. Hell, it was the best dream he had in weeks.

He forced his hormone-addled mind to calm down, focusing his attention on the fact that he was making Tifa worry over something stupid, not to mention embarrassing.

"Tifa," he called quietly, impressing himself with how even his voice sounded considering how scrambled is mind was. "I'm okay, don't worry."

She pursed her lips. "You don't seem okay."

He shook his head. "I wasn't having a nightmare," he explained. "I…" He paused for a moment. "I was thinking that I might have mixed up two clients' packages."

Tifa raised an eyebrow. "That's what you were tossing and turning about?"

He shrugged, avoiding her eyes. "One of the packages had really personal things."

Tifa tilted her head. "Personal?"

"It was for her boyfriend," he muttered, blurting out the first thing he could think of. He paused again, shifting his gaze. "Stuff for his eyes only."

Tifa blinked before her eyes widened in realization, a light blush tinting her cheeks. "O-_Oh_! Cloud! You need to fix that _now!_"

He averted her pressing gaze, cursing himself for coming up with such a stupid lie. "I could be wrong," he mumbled.

"Are you sure? If you mixed it up—that poor girl! That's so embarrassing!"

"I was wrong," he clarified. "She sprayed perfume on her package. The boyfriend recognized it when he was signing for it."

Mentally, he was giving himself a pat on the back. Though sloppy at first, his lie was ultimately believable, and it accomplished its task. Tifa wasn't worried about him and his "nightmare" anymore.

"Oh, that's good," the barmaid said, heaving a sigh of relief. "If you did get it mixed up, we'd have to call, apologize, make sure it didn't ruin our reputation—" She took a breath, shaking her head before flashing Cloud a smile. "You've been working too hard."

He shrugged. "It's not so bad."

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "It might be when you're dreaming about it during your free time."

"It's for you," he mumbled. Tifa's smile fell from her face as she tilted her head, her face puzzled. Cloud coughed, clearing his throat. "I mean the kids. To give them comfortable lives."

She remained quiet, studying his face before she smiled brightly at him. "Of course. But don't overwork yourself, okay? The bar's holding up just fine."

He glanced at the ground, muttering, "Okay."

"All right then," she said, standing up from his bed as she idly brushed down her pants. "Why don't you get dressed and come downstairs? I came here to tell you I made your favorite—prime ribs." She gave him a dazzling smile. "It's the least I could do to thank you for working so hard."

Food, good—a perfect distraction from this uncomfortable morning conversation.

"Be right there."

The woman nodded, turning around and returning downstairs. After taking a few minutes to compose himself and pull on a shirt, Cloud followed suit, finding himself instantly immersed in the sweet aroma of cooked meat.

He took a deep breath, relishing the delicious scent. Upon his arrival, Tifa glanced at him, flashing a quick smile before she continued tending to the meat.

"They'll be ready in a few minutes," she told him, turning one of the slabs over. "Could you collect laundry in the meantime?"

"Sure," he mumbled, staring at the meat as his stomach churned in hunger. Tifa was such a good cook, especially her prime ribs, perfectly cooked and tender—

"Cloud?" she called, catching his attention. "They'll be done by the time you get back," she said with another smile.

"Right," he muttered, turning on his heel and bringing himself away from the kitchen. He went upstairs and went through the rooms, gathering his and the kids' laundry before heading towards Tifa's room.

Placing the basket down, he stooped over and picked up Tifa's clothes, keeping his gaze trained on a random corner to not linger. As he collected the third pile, an ensemble of pants and undergarments, he noticed a particularly strong scent emanating from it, startling him.

He tensed before leaning away, glancing at the clothes in his arms. The smell was so strikingly powerful, where was it coming from? Putting most of the clothes down except for a pair of loose silk pajama pants, he brought it close to his nose, taking a few whiffs.

The scent was powerful, but it was also kind of… nice. Intoxicating, and the more he smelled, addicting. It smelled like a mixture of her perfume and… something else. Something he couldn't identify but it was _strong_, acute to his sharp senses.

He buried his nose in the fabric, taking several deep whiffs. Maybe it was a type of lotion? Or—

"Cloud?"

He froze, tossing the clothes back in the basket before lifting it and turning around. Glancing down, he found Marlene, peering up at him with large brown eyes.

"Whatcha doing?" she asked, blinking innocently.

"Getting laundry," he answered quickly, feeling his cheeks burn a little.

Marlene was too clever for her age as she eyed him suspiciously, crossing her arms. "Why were you smelling Tifa's pants?"

His cheeks were definitely burning now. No point in denying it, she clearly saw him.

"Are you going to tell Tifa?" he asked.

"Maybe," she said in singsong, "maybe not."

He sighed. "What do you want?"

She beamed a bright, cheery smile. "My dolls need a house."

Cloud tilted his head, lifting a brow.

From behind her back, Marlene pulled out a magazine clipping from a local children's toy store. "This one!" she chimed.

The swordsman blinked, taking the paper from the little girl's hands. The price was a bit of a stretch, but not as horrendous as he expected. Tucking it in his back pocket, he nodded at the girl.

"Okay, we'll go after this."

"Yay!" she cheered, jumping on Cloud with a hug. "Thank you!"

He placed his hand atop her head, ruffling her hair with a small smile. "Don't mention it. Right?"

She leaned back, giving him an okay sign as she winked at him. "Uh-huh. I'm gonna go prepare my dolls!"

She skipped away, her braided hair swinging behind her.

He sighed, scratching his hair before lifting the laundry basket and heading down the stairs. Who would've thought he'd see the day when Marlene would blackmail him?

* * *

"That was sweet of you."

Tifa leaned against the doorframe, watching Cloud polish his swords in the garage. He sat against the chair as his six swords lay lined up beside one another against a small fold out table.

"Huh?" he answered, glancing at her.

"Buying Marlene that doll house. What's the occasion?"

He shifted his attention back to his swords, giving an offhanded shrug. "I just… felt like it."

Tifa blinked, raising a brow. "You know Denzel's going to be a little jealous, right?"

"I'll make it up to him," Cloud replied, running a paper towel along the blade of his swords. Once at the tip, he tossed it into the small pile of dirty paper towels, glancing around him for the oil.

Tifa walked towards him, holding out her hand. "Is this what you're looking for?"

His eyes fell to the object in her hand, finding it to be the bottle of oil he needed. "Thanks," he muttered, taking it from her grasp—only to be struck by a powerful scent, recognizing it as the same intoxicating smell from her pajama pants earlier that day. His pupils dilated, his senses electrifying.

From her hand? Is that where the scent was coming from? Well, there was only one way to find out.

Slowly lowering the oil to the feet of his chair, he quietly called, "Tifa."

She had pivoted on her foot to leave, only to glance over her shoulder upon hearing her name. "Yes?"

He remained still for a moment. "Can you, uh… pass me that?" He gestured towards the roll of paper towels.

She tilted her head. "Sure," she replied, moving to get the roll and handing it to him, oblivious to the way Cloud's body turned rigid as his nose wrinkled.

"Could you get that too?" He nodded towards the wax container sitting at the opposite end of the table.

"Did your legs suddenly stop working?" she teased, retrieving the item for him nevertheless. She walked back beside him, holding it out before his face.

Cloud took a slow, deep breath, breathing in the faint traces of the aroma. It seemed to be come more from her fingers than her palm. Maybe it was a new lotion? Whatever it was, it smelled _good_, way too good. The scent was so unique to her… His stomach clenched as his body turned feverish. Suddenly, he had an overwhelming urge to drive Tifa against the wall and kiss her senseless. Was it the scent bringing this side out of him? What the hell could it be? Maybe the longer he smelled, the more he'd be able to figure out.

"Um, Cloud…?"

Tifa's meek voice drew him out of his thoughts, his eyes opening, only to wonder when he had closed them in the first place. Upon opening his eyes, he found his hand holding her own, connected by the wax in her palm. His nose lingered by her fingertips, his face close to her hand.

Lifting his gaze to her face, he found her cheeks tinted pink as she looked, understandably, confused. He wasn't even sure when he had stopped cleaning his swords to smell her hand, or how long he had been doing so. However long, it was certainly long enough to fluster Tifa.

He looked away from her eyes, wracking his brain to find an appropriate excuse for his odd behavior. "Your hands are soft," he mumbled, letting her hand go as he directed his attention back to his swords.

Tifa's blush darkened as she retreated her hand to her chest, cradling it with her other hand. "Thank you…" she replied quietly, her voice holding a hint of confusion. Looking down to her gloveless fingers, she murmured, "It's been a while since I fought with them."

Cloud remained silent, resuming the cleaning of his swords as he applied wax to the blades.

"It's been a while since you fought with those too, huh?"

He glanced to the others. "Yeah…"

She smiled faintly. "It's nice though, isn't it? Before you had to clean off monsters and remnants, but now you just have to clean the dust."

He gazed at the sword in his lap. "It's different."

"Yeah," she began, placing her hands on her knees as she peered at Cloud from the side, "but that's okay, hm?" She tilted her head, giving him a soft smile.

He looked at her, then allowed his gaze to wander. "I guess so."

She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, leading him to glance at her. "I'm proud of you."

He blinked. "For what?"

"For giving it a chance," she replied, giving his shoulder a light squeeze before retreating her hand. "You're getting a little better every day."

"Thanks to your help," he muttered quietly, briefly meeting her gaze.

Something flickered in her eyes before her face softened, a warm smile spreading across her lips. "Well, that's what friends do. They support each other."

"And families," Cloud added, looking up at her. "Right?"

She smiled again, nodding her head. "Right."

He glanced at her hands before lifting his swords and returning them to Fenrir.

"They should stay that way," he said quietly as Tifa turned to leave.

"Hm?" she asked, facing him once more.

"Your hands," Cloud added. "They should stay soft."

A bashful blush warmed her cheeks as she looked at the back of her palms, noting the callouses on the knuckles. "You really think they're soft?"

"Well, yeah," the swordsman muttered, loading the last of his swords. When he finished, he felt fingers wrap around his own, making him blink as he glanced at Tifa.

She smiled warmly, a smile that brightened her face.

"Thank you."


End file.
